Almanac

Letter: Suspicious of Saltworks' traffic estimates

The Saltworks public relations machine is in overdrive, particularly on traffic.

DMB, the developer, says 40,000 out-of-town commuters drive to work in Redwood City daily. Saltworks will provide local housing to get them out of their cars.

Of 40,000 commuters, 84 percent travel 30 miles or less from nearby communities. These people are unlikely to move. In any case, Saltworks will only house 30,000.

DMB doesn't anticipate Saltworks will create a lot of extra traffic. A preliminary report says 7,000 cars could be added to rush-hour traffic. Even if Saltworks residents commute to Redwood City proper, west of U.S. 101, their cars would jam Marsh, Woodside and Whipple interchanges, already at capacity. And no one can predict how many Saltworks residents would commute to SF, San Jose or elsewhere.

DMB claims Saltworks is a transit-oriented community. The closest Caltrain stations are more than a mile away — across the freeway.

DMB is bringing direly needed housing to a jobs-rich region. Saltworks would include 1 million square feet of offices and 140,000 square feet of commercial/retail space. Even more people would commute to these new jobs.

Don't be fooled by DMB spin doctors. Saltworks would create a traffic nightmare.